Erik Wiebe - Never Work Harder than your Students

 

Robyn Jackson believes that anyone can become a master teacher. In her book Never Work Harder than your Students, she outlines seven principles teachers must understand in order to acquire the gift of teaching. The first principle is to start where your students are at, an idea which Jackson explains through the interesting analogy of currency in the classroom economy. Currency consists of the skills students use to gain and understand knowledge (Jackson, 2009, p. 30). It is important that teachers realize that the type of currency accepted in class is not always the same currency students possess. Furthermore, educators must recognize that students with currency sometimes refuse to invest in the capital of the class. The second principle is to know where your students are going. For this to happen, teachers need to determine what the standards, or final destination, is for the class (Jackson, 2009, p. 57). These learning goals should then be broken down into smaller objectives, which will help structure the day-to-day interaction with students (Jackson, 2009, p. 57).

The third principle is to expect students to reach their goals. While this idea seems to focus on individual students, it actually involves the mindset of the teacher. Teachers often set high expectations for their students, hoping they will rise to the occasion. Master teachers however, recognize that expectations have more to do with the teacher’s ability as opposed to that of the student. For example, placing low expectations on students is a sign that the teacher doubts his or her own skill to teach students and have them excel (Jackson, 2009, p. 85). The fourth principle is to support children and revolves around the idea of using strategies designed to catch students before they are in a failing situation. The goal of providing assistance before it is too late ties directly into the fifth principle, which encourages teachers to use assessments as feedback to assist student learning, rather than a simple evaluation tool. 

Master teachers also practice the sixth principle, which emphasizes quality over quantity. Instead of inundating students with meaningless work, teachers should design quality assignments and assessments which move their students towards full understanding (Jackson, 2009, p. 156). Finally, Jackson concludes with the idea that teachers should never work harder than their students. The purpose behind this principle is to illustrate that all parties in the classroom have certain responsibilities. Educators should grasp the distinction between their own responsibilities, such as being prepared to teach, and those of students, which include coming to class prepared (Jackson, 2009, p. 179). On many occasions, work is poorly distributed and teachers burn-out trying to accomplish tasks which should be handled by the student. 

Though Jackson acknowledges that the principles of her book seem like common sense, especially since many teacher candidates learn about them in their first year of university, she believes that all teachers can benefit from a refresher course. She suggests that the reason so many teachers struggle to teach is that they focus on trying new strategies, but have not yet mastered the core principles. The purpose of Never Work Harder than your Students is to help teachers discover which areas of their practice, if any, are lacking and develop methods to overcome these weaknesses. Jackson stresses the urgent need for teachers to learn the seven principles of great teaching, understand why they matter, and strive to incorporate them into their own practices. When teachers have acquired this mindset, they will have the same gift of the masters who inspired them.

Never Work Harder than your Students is a book that reads comfortably. Each chapter, covering one of the seven principles, can be read as a stand-alone feature and allows teachers to selectively study areas they feel need more work. The format of the book is consistent and easy to follow. Each chapter begins with a vignette that illustrates the way most of us were taught in school as well as the dangers of this way of thinking. Next the reader is introduced to the principle and why it is important. Robson continues by providing examples and suggests ways to incorporate the idea into classroom instruction. Interspaced throughout the text are sections titled Yes, but…, which address common concerns or arguments teachers often make to justify their own neglect of the principle. Finally, each chapter concludes with a portion titled Getting Started, which summarizes the critical components of the principle being examined. This overall structure is maintained throughout the book and breaks each chapter down into organized and very readable sections.

Jackson also provides an array of supplementary materials to help teachers master the principles outlined in her book. These resources include problem-solving sheets, action plan templates, and observation forms. There are also helpful tips for teachers to use when designing intervention strategies, as well as starting after-school study groups. An additional collection of material is available through the master teacher website. The resources are free after a simple registration process and seem to be more useful and practical than those in the book. Throughout her book, Jackson also reinforces her principles by including supporting evidence from teachers, researchers, and various educational studies. These references are useful for any educator who wants to dig deeper or acquire additional information. 

Intervention Planning Worksheet

Red Flags What are your “red flags” in this unit? What will tell you that students are not being successful?	Interventions What corrective actions will help get students back on track?

Mindsteps Inc. © 2010. All rights reserved. This worksheet is available for download at www.mindstepsinc.com/support.

On a more critical note, there are times when Jackson takes a tone that is slightly condescending. She regularly includes personal stories from workshops she has run with teachers or observations she has made in classrooms. In many cases, she deals with an educator frustrated by the students in his or her class. Jackson methodically asks probing questions and helps the teacher realize where they went wrong before helping them develop suggestions for improvement. Though I understand Jackson is following her own principles by not thinking for the student, she sometimes comes across as a nurturing mother speaking down to a child. There is also a glaring spelling mistake at one point in the text, which brings into question the quality of the resource.   

Another concern is that the book is written from an American viewpoint. There are several references to US educational initiatives, such as No Child Left Behind, as well as individual state programs. Though it would be nice to have some Canadian perspectives, a majority of the examples are still applicable to teachers regardless of the country they practice in. In addition, the supporting evidence and personal stories seem to focus on older students. Though the principles remain relevant to all levels of teacher, early-years educators may be better served with different educational texts. 

Perhaps the greatest strength of Never Work Harder than your Students is that Jackson presents a fresh perspective on commonly accepted practices or attitudes. She examines concepts such as the Curse of Knowledge. Once we know and understand something, it becomes impossible to imagine what it is like to lack that knowledge (Jackson, 2009, p. 104). This can cause teachers to take certain information for granted and makes it difficult to reach students. Jackson also provides a compelling argument for allowing students to retake tests, passionately outlining the benefits to class achievement. She includes several suggestions for implementing an assessment process in which students are given a second chance, but are not able to take advantage of the system. Other ideas, such as the difference between the “need-to-know” and “nice-to-know,” provide an interesting way of examining the curriculum and help manage the time in a short school year (Jackson, 2009, p. 163). Overall, Jackson utilizes a wealth of information and anecdotes to explain her seven principles of great teachers.

Though Never Work Harder than your Students contains a few minor issues, it remains a useful and solidly-written resource for teachers of all disciplines and age levels. Educators can determine where they are along the path to becoming a master teacher and make adjustments based on the suggestions and tips provided by Robyn Jackson. A new take on old ideas, as well as easy access to additional resources make the book particularly useful and enjoyable to read. For a new teacher struggling to find his style or the established pro, Never Work Harder than your Students is worth a look. 

Works Cited
Jackson, R. (2009). Never work harder than your students & other principles of great teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.